Larsson has Devils of a draft

He heard only three names called before his at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, but Adam Larsson wanted to be be higher.

The first defenseman taken in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Larsson hoped to be the first player taken instead.

“I wanted to be number one, Larsson said. “I think all of the guys want that, but after all I was proud. The Draft is just huge for every single hockey player. So I’m just happy to be drafted right now.”

Still, as disappointed as Larsson was to not be the first pick, he wasn’t caught off guard after falling to fourth overall behind Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog and Jonathan Huberdeau.

“No, actually not,” he said. “I think it’s just good guys and skilled guys that came before me. So I’m not surprised at all.”

By becoming a Devil, Larsson is immediately surrounded by three familiar faces ready to welcome him into the organization. Mattias Tedenby, Jacob Josefson and Johan Hedberg currently make up the Swedish contingent in New Jersey.

“They have three Swedes on their team, so I think that makes things easier for me from the start.”

Plus, Larsson will have good friend and now rival Tim Erixson across the river in New York.

“It will feel great to have him just across the river and just hang out with him,” the six-foot-three Swede said. “But at the games we are not friends.”